Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus State Significant Development Assessment SSD-9831 February 2021 NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment | dpie.nsw.gov.au Published by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment dpie.nsw.gov.au Title: Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus Cover image: View of proposed building form the south (source Lyons Architecture) © State of New South Wales through Department of Planning, Industry and Environment 2021. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, provided that you attribute the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment as the owner. However, you must obtain permission if you wish to charge others for access to the publication (other than at cost); include the publication in advertising or a product for sale; modify the publication; or republish the publication on a website. You may freely link to the publication on a departmental website. Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (February 2021) and may not be accurate, current or complete. The State of New South Wales (including the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment), the author and the publisher take no responsibility, and will accept no liability, for the accuracy, currency, reliability or correctness of any information included in the document (including material provided by third parties). Readers should make their own inquiries and rely on their own advice when making decisions related to material contained in this publication. Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus (SSD-9831) | Assessment Report ii Glossary Abbreviation Definition AHD Australian Height Datum BLaKC Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre CIV Capital Investment Value Council City of Canterbury-Bankstown DCP Development Control Plan Department Department of Planning, Industry and Environment EESG Environment, Energy and Science Group, DPIE EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA Environment Protection Authority EP&A Act Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 EP&A Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 Regulation EPI Environmental Planning Instrument ESD Ecologically Sustainable Development GANSW Government Architect of NSW LEP Local Environmental Plan LoS Level of Service Minister Minister for Planning and Public Spaces MRV Medium Rigid Vehicle RMS Roads and Maritime Services, TfNSW RTS Response to Submissions SDRP State Design Review Panel SEARs Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements Secretary Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy SRD SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 SRTS Supplementary Response to Submissions SSD State Significant Development TfNSW Transport for NSW VPA Voluntary Planning Agreement WSUD Water Sensitive Urban Design Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus (SSD-9831) | Assessment Report iii Executive Summary This report by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (the Department) provides an assessment of a State significant development (SSD) application for a new stand-alone university campus building in the Bankstown city centre (SSD-9831). The Applicant is Western Sydney University and the proposal is located within the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area (LGA). The proposal seeks approval for construction of a 19-storey building over basement level parking and use as an educational establishment with ancillary retail. A Response to Submissions (RtS) and amended proposal was submitted which demonstrated that the proposal would not have any significant amenity impacts on the surrounding land uses and is an appropriate response in terms of height, bulk and scale in the context of the city centre. Therefore, the Department recommends the development be approved, subject to conditions. The Department considered the above issues in its assessment, along with the merits of the proposal, in accordance with relevant matters under section 4.15(1), the objects of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the principles of ecologically sustainable development, and issues raised in submissions as well as the Applicant’s response to these. Conditions of consent are recommended to ensure that any impacts are mitigated or managed appropriately. Project summary The proposal seeks approval for construction of a 19-storey building over basement level parking and use of the building as a University (Educational Establishment) with ancillary retail. Approval is also sought for associated landscaping and public domain works. The proposal has a Capital Investment Value (CIV) of $264 million and would generate 675 construction jobs and 650 operational jobs. The proposal is SSD under clause 15 of Schedule 1 of State and Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011, as it is development for the purpose of tertiary institution with a CIV of more than $30 million. Therefore, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces is the consent authority. Engagement The application was publicly exhibited between 4 November and 4 December 2019. The Department received a total of 13 submissions, including four submissions from public authorities and nine public submissions. Key issues raised in the submissions related to urban design and interface with the public domain, public domain works, traffic and parking, flooding and stormwater management. Assessment The Department’s assessment concludes that the: • proposal is consistent with built form controls applicable to the site under Bankstown LEP 2015 (as amended on 5 February 2021). Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus (SSD-9831) | Assessment Report iv • design has evolved through a comprehensive design review process and the Department considers the proposal exhibits a high-quality design that would make a positive contribution to the Bankstown city centre and would not result in any unacceptable adverse environmental or amenity impacts. • ground floor plans have been revised through the design process to maximise physical and visual connections to the surrounding public domain, while maintaining floor levels that meet flood planning controls. The Department is satisfied that the proposal has been designed to ensure a satisfactory interface with the public domain in the context of the site constraints, including maximising ground floor activation, and quality facades and design to improve the pedestrian experience. • landscape plans for the site and surrounding public domain demonstrate the proposal can provide a high-quality landscape outcome that would make a positive contribution to the character of the area, provide pleasant outdoor spaces for students and staff, and improve pedestrian amenity and environmental outcomes on the site and in the surrounding area. Outstanding concerns in relation to species selection, detailed design, and integration with public domain works can be resolved through the provision of updated detailed landscape plans. A condition has been recommended accordingly. • proposal complies with the car and bike parking requirements of the site-specific development control plan, which were specifically designed to minimise the number of car trips to the site and to encourage use of sustainable transport modes. In conjunction with improvements to the surrounding public domain, it is expected that the proposal would achieve greater than 90 per cent of travel by other than car. As such, traffic impacts associated with the proposal would be minimal and would not result in material impacts on the surrounding road network. • key flooding concerns will be resolved by major stormwater upgrade works proposed by Council in the vicinity of the site. The Applicant has proposed to contribute $2 million to Council to carry out the works. • minor outstanding concerns in relation to flooding and stormwater management can be resolved by the provision of updated details to Council and a condition has been recommended accordingly. In addition, the development would deliver educational infrastructure to address the needs of the community, and facilitate growth of an identified Strategic Centre, Collaboration Area, and Health and Education Precinct consistent with strategic planning objectives for Greater Sydney and the Sydney South Region. The facilities provide further investment in social infrastructure and support new construction and operational jobs. Western Sydney University Bankstown City Campus (SSD-9831) | Assessment Report v Contents 1 Introduction ········································································································· 1 1.1 The Site and Surrounds ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Planning Proposal and Voluntary Planning Agreement ...................................................... 5 1.3 Development Application for Demolition and Bulk Earthworks ........................................... 6 2 Project ················································································································· 7 3 Strategic context ································································································· 13 4 Statutory Context ································································································· 14 4.1 State